Curtain wall and mounting clip therefore

ABSTRACT

A one-piece load-bearing metal clip having a pair of plate-like planar elements, interconnected by a rigid integral strap, said plates being positioned in spaced parallel relation. One plate having means for connecting it to a panel and abutment means carried by the same plate adapted to bear on the free upper edge of the flange of an angle iron fastened to its support with the panel positioned generally flush against one face of the upright flange while the second plate engages the opposite face of the flange.

United States Patent Swick Oct. 22, 1974 [5 CURTAIN WALL AND MOUNTING CLIP 3,621,635 11/1971 De Lange 52 235 THEREFORE 3,640,043 2/1972 Querfeld 52/235 X [75] Inventor: Edwin Grant Swick, Bartlett, Ill. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Assigneez Illinois Tool works Inc. Chicago, France B [11. Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser I22] Flledi June 1973 Assistant Examiner-Leslie A. Braun [21] AWL 37 0 Attorney, Agent, or FirmJ. R. Halvorsen; Robert W.

Beart [52] US. Cl 52/235, 52/264, 52/285,

52/489, 52/713 I57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl E04b 2/88, E04b 1/40 A one-piece load-bearing metal clip having a pair of [58] Field of Search 52/235, 483, 489, 486, plate-like planar elements, interconnected by a rigid 52/712-714, 264, 285; 24/73 B integral strap, said plates being positioned in spaced parallel relation. One plate having means for connect- [56] References Cited ing it to a panel and abutment means carried by the UNlTED STATES PATENTS same plate adapted to bear on the free upper edge of 7 771 584 M942 Feuom 52/489 the flange of an angle iron fastened to its support with 57111165 1171955 1111':11:?"11:iiijiiijii'sm X the panel peeltleeed generally flush eeelnet leee 3:248:836 5/1966 Monk et al. 52 235 x of the upright flange While the Second PIate engages 3,268,722 8/1966 M61311 54/73 B the pp face of the g 3,378,969 4/1968 Larger 52/235 X 3,550,337 12/1970 Lorenz 52/235 x 6 Clams 3 D'awmg F'gures ClURTAIN WALL AND MOUNTING CLIP THEREFORE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION There is a large volume of art relating to architectural fasteners in which the fasteners and the systems of using the fasteners relate primarily to the mounting of facades and fascia on supporting structures to form the external walls of a building. Most of such fastening systems are complex, require a great deal of knowledge as to their application and often are unwieldy when application of same is attemped. Such clips are generally of a single purpose function, i.e., a particular fastener will be used for the load-bearing function while a second fastener will be utilized for lateral restraint purposes. The inevitable result is an increased cost of installation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION porting member and having its upright flange positioned adjacent the edge of the supporting member. The clip of this invention is secured at a predetermined point on the hollow panel and the panel with its associated clip or clips is brought into perpendicular relationship to the supporting member and bears against the upright flange of the angle iron with the clip bearing against the upper edge of said flange and engaging one face of the flange while the panel engages the opposite face, thereby providing a load-bearing support and lateral restraint in a single vertical motion of the entire preassembly relative to the support structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view, in partial section, of an embodiment of the present invention shown in mounted relation;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in partial section, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view in partial section of the device shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A fastening means of the type contemplated by the present invention includes a clip having an upper planar element 12, a lower second planar element 14 and an interconnecting integral strap member 16. The planar elements 12 and 14 are generally plate-like rectangular elements of substantial size and thickness that are maintained in spaced generally parallel relationship by an interconnecting strap 16 which in the present embodiment is lesser in width than at least the element 12. The strap 16 is substantially rigid due to its thickness and maintains the predetermined spacings between the plates 12 and 14, for purposes best set forth hereinafter.

An abutment means is provided on plate 12 along the edge facing plate 14. In this embodiment the abutment means takes the form of a pair of extensions 18 positioned on opposite sides of strap 16 and extending for a predetermined distance in the direction of plate 14,

for purposes best set forth hereinafter, The plate 12 is provide with at least one aperture 20,, in the present embodiment there is a centralaperture and a pair of apertures spaced in a triangular configuration, the upper pair of apertures 22 being available for secondary fastening means or for production piloting.

To place such a clip 10 in its proper environment, there is at this time a large scale effort being made to reduce the costs of building construction both in private homes as well as multiple unit dwellings. In the latter category it is often necessary to provide structural slab floors to which curtain walls or premanufactured panels are utilized for the exterior facade and wall structure. As an example, for the utilization of a clip 10 of the type contemplated herein, a support structure or concrete slab is disposed in a horizontal fashion. Along an edge of such a structure 30 are positioned one or more L-shaped angle irons 32 having a base 34 and an upstanding flange 36 presenting a free edge 38. It will be appreciated that a single angle iron can be extended along the entire edge of structure 30 but for purposes of economy short sections of the angle iron 32 can be utilized in spaced relation to one another for load-bearing purposes, as will be seen hereinafter. The base 34 is positioned on the upper surface of the structure 30 and secured by suitable means such as powder actuated drive studs 40 which are well-known in the art. The clip 10 is positioned in predetei mined relation to a panel member and the plate 12 is affixed thereto. In the present example, the panel member 50 is a hollow core asbestos cement extrusion which is drilled to provide an aperture 52 for purposes of accepting a blind fastener 54 which is inserted through the aperture 20 of plate 12, the aperture 52 and tightened to provide an expanded gripping means, many types of which are well-known in the art, to engage the back face of wall 56 of the panel 50. The disposition of the aperture 52 relative to the lower edge 58 of the panel 50 is a predetermined measurement. This will locate the abutments 18 in such a fashion that will absolutely position the panel 50 in predetermined relation to the support 30.

It can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a plurality of clips 12 in spaced relation along the longitudinal extent of the panel 50 to adequately distribute the load and provide the necessary lateral restraint. After the clips 10 have been affixed to the panel 50, the entire unit can be moved by a crane into position, lowered so that the clip 10 with its abutment members 18 being brought to bear on the upper edge 38 of flange 36 and with the plate 14 engaging the inner side of flange 36 while the panel 50 is generally flush with the outer side of flange 36.

It can be appreciated that generally a wall section or panel is placedin position on the lower floor and then the next or upper panel positioned thereabove. While only one such mounting means has been shown, it can be appreciated that there could be several floors of such arrangements. In the present arrangement, the lower edge 58 of the panel 50 is brought to a position which is intermediated the upper and lower extremities of the flange 36. The upper edge 60 of the next panel below the exemplary panel is positioned a short distance from edge 58 and an aperture 62 is drilled through the lower extremity of flange 36 and the lower panel 64 with a suitable expansion fastener 66 of the types known in the art, being inserted through the aperture 62 and brought to bear against the inner wall of panel 64. Thus, it can be seen that panels 50 and 64 can be maintained in predetermined relationship by the positioning of plate 12 on panel 50 and a load-bearing lateral restraint function achieved by the clip 10. The fastener 66 serves as a secondary or upper end lateral restraint for the next lower panel. A similar restraint would be applied to the upper end of panel 50.

A suitable gasket or caulking material 70, known in the art, can be provided to seal the juncture between vertically arranged panels with laterally spaced panels being positioned by tongue and groove portions or other suitable interlocking means.

Thus, it can be seen that a simple economical clip is provided which will accept a load-bearing relationship, ease of assembly either at the factory or on the job site, as well as providing a simple, expeditious manner of erecting wall panels to a supporting structure. The device in question can be fabricated from heavy sheet metal, suitably plated to prevent corrosion and providing a compact, easily covered main support system for high rise or standard construction.

I claim:

1. A structure including a support means, panel means to be disposed in angular relationship to said support means and load-bearing means for supporting said panel in such angular relationship, including and L-shaped angle iron having its base secured to said support means and its upstanding flange angularly disposed relative to the base thereof, one-piece clip means having first and second planar elements disposed in spaced parallel relationship and interconnected at their adjacent ends by substantially rigid integral means, the first planar element having means for engaging and being fixed to said panel and abutment means for engagement with the free edge of said upstanding flange, said abutment means includes coplanar means extending axially from said first planar element in the direction of said second planar element and positioned on opposite sides of said connecting means for engaging the free edge of said flange at spaced points, said panel being adapted to be juxtaposed to one face of said upstanding flange while the second planar element of said clip engages the opposite face of said flange to retain the panel in supported and laterally restrained relationship to said angle iron.

2. A structure of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said planar members are axially spaced and said substantially rigid connecting means has lesser width than at least one of said first and second planar elements.

3. A structure of the type claimed in claim 2 wherein said abutment means has a predetermined length of extension in the direction of said second planar element and positions said panel in a predetermined relationship to said support structure.

4. A structure of the type claimed in claim 2 wherein said flange has a predetermined thickness and said planar elements of said clip are spaced apart a distance approximating said predetermined thickness.

5. A structure of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for fastening said panels includes at least one aperture in said first planar element for acceptance of a fastener having a shank and head with said shank traversing the planar element into engagement with said panel.

6. A structure of the type claimed in claim I wherein a plurality of angle channels are disposed in spaced relation along said horizontal support and a plurality of clips are utilized to support said panel. 

1. A structure including a support means, panel means to be disposed in angular relationship to said support means and loadbearing means for supporting said panel in such angular relationship, including and L-shaped angle iron having its base secured to said support means and its upstanding flange angularly disposed relative to the base thereof, one-piece clip means having first and second planar elements disposed in spaced parallel relationship and interconnected at their adjacent ends by substantially rigid integral means, the first planar element having means for engaging and being fixed to said panel and abutment means for engagement with the free edge of said upstanding flange, said abutment means includes coplanar means extending axially from said first planar element in the direction of said second planar element and positioned on opposite sides of said connecting means for engaging the free edge of said flange at spaced points, said panel being adapted to be juxtaposed to one face of said upstanding flange while the second planar element of said clip engages the opposite face of said flange to retain the panel in supported and laterally restrained relationship to said angle iron.
 2. A structure of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said planar members are axially spaced and said substantially rigid connecting means has lesser width than at least one of said first and second planar elements.
 3. A structure of the type claimed in claim 2 wherein said abutment means has a predetermined length of extension in the direction of said second planar element and positions said panel in a predetermined relationship to said support structure.
 4. A structure of the type claimed in claim 2 wherein said flange has a predetermined thickness and said planar elements of said clip are spaced apart a distance approximating said predetermined thickness.
 5. A structure of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for fastening said panels includes at least one aperture in said first planar element for acceptance of a fastener having a shank and head with said shank traversing the planar element into engagement with said panel.
 6. A structure of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of angle channels are disposed in spaced relation along said horizontal support and a plurality of clips are utilized to support said panel. 